Benches For Our Babes forms North Fort Myers chapter

Even though a man was accused and arrested for a hit-and-run that killed an 8-year-old girl at her bus stop, the mission for people working to make local bus stops safer, placing benches at every stop, has not changed.

Days after Layla Aiken’s death March 25 in Cape Coral, Tia Snowden, organizer of Benches For Our Babes, helped launch a campaign to put picnic tables all over the city. And now their efforts are moving just north to another community in need.

Benches For Our Babes will form a new chapter in North Fort Myers to build and place picnic benches at areas in need.

Snowden wants everyone to channel their frustration into action.

“There’s already a lot of hurt and a lot of feelings in this,” Snowden said. “Everybody is looking for someone to blame.”

Emotions are rising high, and many took to social media to share frustrations upon news that 19-year-old Logan Hetherington had been arrested for the hit-and-run that killed Layla in March.

“Him going to jail isn’t going to fix or prevent another child from getting hit,” Snowden said.

Snowden wants people to remember the two families whose lives are now changed.

“Yes, this man was caught,” Snowden said. “And yes, he will have to pay for what he did. But I want people to remember that he’s a human too. He made a mistake, and he needs to have consequences for his mistake.”

The new Benches For Our Babes chapter in North Fort Myers will have a build party Saturday. They invite everyone to join the effort. It starts 10 a.m. at 6120 Poling Lane. The ask people planning to join to bring a cordless screwgun.

There will also be activities:

• Bench painting
• Rock painting
• Games
• Play on the beach
• Pool (must have adult supervision)

A barbecue lunch will be provided.

Snowden is challenging everyone to step away from their keyboards and touch screens and focus on solutions like picnic tables for our children’s bus stops.

“You want to voice your opinion and say how much he deserves to rot in jail and all that,” Snowden said. “Come with us; come help us; let’s make a difference.”

MORE: 

• Driver accused in hit-and-run death of Layla Aiken posts bail
• 19-year-old arrested in hit-and-run death of 8-year-old Layla Aiken